Support groups, Chess Club, Tuesday bridge groups, addictions support groups along with a plethora of fraternal organizations – the list is endless. Throughout the ages people have gathered to share opinions, council, interests, hobbies and beliefs.

The world of the internet is no exception. What used to require traveling to a meeting hall, church or someone’s living room is now accomplished with the click of a mouse. The gatherings of the past are being transferred to bits and bytes.

The growth of online social groups and interactions has been a bone of contention between sociologists for some time. Studies into the repercussions of the use of the internet for social interaction have been receiving increasing attention by mental health and relational researchers.

One of the most frequently debated topics is regarding ‘internet addiction’ – spending extreme amounts of time online to the detriment of real life obligations and interaction with other people. Many healthcare professionals argue that especially for young children, the internet and online communities have replaced visits to each other’s homes, games played in the park and more importantly verbal and written communication skills, such as writing a simple ‘thank you’ note. There are even groups and pages dealing with Facebook addiction within the Facebook community.

Another concern of many is the much darker opportunity for those with corrupt intentions to have access to a huge global audience that, at any given time of day, includes thousands of minor children, making the chat rooms and communities a ripe opportunity for predators. The web also provides a forum for hate groups and perverted photo sharing sites. While there are parental controls available within most browsers to limit access to such unsavory sites, many parents do not take the time to set up those controls.

Some experts support such use, arguing that internet based social interaction simply makes communication within social groups and communities more efficient and faster. Given that we live in a society more mobile than at any time ever in history, this level of time saving communication may no longer be just a convenience, but a necessity.

There are both positives and negatives to each point of view. Often, the entire business and social calendar of most people is decided through email and instant messaging. Blogs have nearly replaced newsletters and offer the opportunity to share nearly anything with the world. This efficiency is necessary in a minute to minute world where news flashes around the globe in seconds, not days.

But, regardless of whether online society is a constructive or harmful influence or somewhere in between, the growth of forums, social networks, blogging and more is increasing exponentially and continues to be ever more popular.

Facebook, MySpace, Blogster, LinkedIn, Sonico, Badoo are a few of the more popular sites on the web. There are literally thousands of them in operation, many with millions of users, some general and others specific to a certain topic. Whatever your hobby, political view, religion, or almost any other interest, you will find somewhere to voice your opinions to people sharing the same perspective.

Online communities are also embraced by those whose social skills often leave them out of real world situations. People who are socially shy, poor, disabled or immobile, can find a voice where the playing field is level. When one logs onto a site with a screen name, financial and social status no longer prevail. The achievements, politics, race, religion and appearance of some no longer dominate a conversation to the exclusion of others. Interacting online provides a safety net and level playing field to those who just want to be heard. Some people simply want to listen to others’ opinions without having to voice theirs. It is also a prime chance for many to research a certain topic and be assured of a diversity of opinions and data.

In 2010, Costa Rica ranked number 85 in the world in numbers of internet users as a percentage of the total population. Approximately 1,648,420 Ticos and expats use the Net comprising more than 36% of the total population. That number, unavoidably, is expected to grow.

Whether it is a positive or negative change in the way people interact, one thing is for certain. The web is here to stay.